NOT GUILTY: THE MAN

NOT GUILTY: THE MAN;Simpson Walks Out of the Courtroom a Free Man and Into the Lucrative Free Market

By JAMES STERNGOLD

Published: October 4, 1995

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3—
O. J. Simpson walked out of the courtroom today a free man for the first time in 15 months, saying he was eager to rebuild his life and move on. But it was clear from the way he was driven home to the deals his lawyers were trying to cut that the past and his notoriety are likely to be constant emotional and financial companions.

In an eerie reprise of his famous flight last year, he rode home today in a white police van, tailed once again by reporters in cars and helicopters as bystanders waved from overpasses. Once there, he was folded in a tearful embrace by Al Cowlings, the same close friend who had driven the white Ford Bronco in the bizarre televised chase that also ended in Mr. Simpson's driveway.

But it was also clear that the past that has dogged him so mercilessly could also prove a financial bonanza, potentially making Mr. Simpson far wealthier than he was before his former wife and a friend were slain on June 12, 1994.

Even before today, his agents had been discussing deals that could allow Mr. Simpson to earn as much as $50 million trading on his notoriety. The richest deal being discussed would involve an interview on pay-per-view cable television, which could bring Mr. Simpson and his advisers tens of millions of dollars.

People involved in television, book publishing and films said that while it seemed certain Mr. Simpson would profit to some degree -- even after paying as much as $10 million for his defense -- they cautioned that many media companies were still trying to calculate how much appeal a man accused of being a killer, even one who had been acquitted, might have to a popular audience.

Advertising companies, for instance, said they doubted any major national company would risk being associated with Mr. Simpson, in part because of lingering suspicions over the killings and in part because of disclosures that he had beaten his wife. Before his arrest, Mr. Simpson had a long career as a spokesman for Hertz Corporation.

"He's poison," Jerry Della Femina, chairman of Jerry & Ketchum Inc. in New York, said of Mr. Simpson's prospects as a pitchman.

But others said Mr. Simpson's name recognition was so great now that some companies would gladly try to cash in.

"After the brouhaha of the case dies down, I think that O. J. Simpson will find himself in a very lucrative position," said Richard Kirshenbaum, co-chairman of Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners, an advertising agency in New York. "There are many untraditional companies who will be ready to jump on the bandwagon."

Indeed, an official with one company involved in selling Mr. Simpson expressed her own anger today over the verdict because of her view that he murdered his former wife. But then she proceeded to discuss details of one of his ventures, praising the bankability of his name.

Another executive of a media company added, "It is hard to think about these things, but it is even harder not to consider them, because of the kind of money that would be involved."

Mr. Simpson's football, acting and promotional careers had made him a very wealthy man before the killing of his former wife and his imprisonment last year; his net worth during his divorce in 1992 was estimated at about $11 million and he earned close to $1 million a year at that time, roughly half of it from his work for Hertz. The 6,000-square-foot home that Mr. Simpson bought in February, 1977, for $650,000 is now worth about $4 million, according to real estate agents.

It has been speculated that his defense expenses, which have not been disclosed, could eat up much of that fortune.

By far the most lucrative deal that his lawyers are now discussing is the pay-per-view interview, which would be broadcast on a cable television network. CNN was approached several weeks ago by Mr. Simpson's lawyers about an interview conducted by Larry King, the talk show host, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

These people said no hard figures were discussed, and the proposal was eventually rejected by the network, which felt that it was improper to pay for a news interview.

But the people said such an event might bring in $50 million to $100 million, depending on how much Mr. Simpson was willing to disclose. Mr. Simpson and his advisers might receive about 80 percent of that sum, they said.

The New York Observer reported earlier that Mr. Simpson's representatives had cut a deal for such an interview, but it gave no figures and did not say with what broadcaster the agreement had been made.

This spring, Mr. Simpson's agents set up a phone line people could call for a charge and hear a message in which Mr. Simpson declared from jail, "Hi, this is O. J. Thanks for using the 'Juice' line. I'd like to thank all of my fans for your support." That venture was expected to bring in many hundreds of thousands of dollars and demonstrated to some Mr. Simpson's earning potential.

Mr. Simpson has already earned more than $1 million from his book, "I Want to Tell You," published by Little, Brown & Company. A total of 650,000 copies have been printed.

A publishing executive said a follow-up book is under discussion with a proposed advance of about $5 million.

Mr. Simpson has put together a special limited edition of his current book that will be sold through a "tele-auction" by Anmar Inc., a marketing company here. The 3,000 numbered copies are bound in blue fake leather and are contained in a similarly bound box. The books contain a leaf signed by Mr. Simpson. They will also have a certificate signed by one of his lawyers, Robert Kardashian, verifying their authenticity.

The bidding for the books begins at $250 and it is expected that offers could run as high as $5,000.

Reviving Mr. Simpson's movie career is likely to prove difficult. His film appearances were waning before the killings, and movie executives said here today that it would be some time before they would be likely to even consider giving Mr. Simpson a role in a film.

Previously, Mr. Simpson was in a pilot for a television show to be called "Frogman." The pilot was never broadcast, but might still be shown, which would make it his first post-trial acting appearance.

Apart from the financial side, Mr. Simpson's travails could prove a liability in one critical aspect of his life, custody of the two children from his marriage with Nicole Brown Simpson. Mrs. Simpson's parents were granted legal custody of the children after Mr. Simpson was charged with murder, and the two continue to live with their grandparents in Orange County, just south of Los Angeles.

Mr. Simpson had been paying $10,000 a month to Mrs. Simpson in child support after their divorce in 1992, but after her killing and his imprisonment he unilaterally cut that to $5,000, people close to the families said.

Now, he is expected to seek to gain custody. California law tends to prefer placing children with their parents, but some lawyers said that may be difficult in this instance if Mrs. Simpson's parents choose to fight. Scott A. Altman, a professor of family law at the University of Southern California Law Center, said enough evidence of domestic violence was disclosed at the trial to permit a strong challenge.

In addition, the parents of Ronald Goldman, the man killed with Mrs. Simpson, have filed a civil suit against Mr. Simpson claiming he killed their son. Their chances of winning were not helped by Mr. Simpson's acquittal, but if they do succeed they could exact a large financial penalty, putting at least one dent in his still sizeable earnings potential.